2025 GSA Spaceport Summit archive

Summit success - thank you

The Global Spaceport Alliance’s
10th annual GSA Spaceport Summit 2025! 

Commercial Space Week begins with annual GSA Spaceport Summit on January 27, 2025. The Space Mobility Conference will be on Jan 28, 2025 with SpaceCom on Jan 28-30, 2025. 

More coming soon!

Photos from 2025:

Group photo
The Hague Signatories
10th annual toast

*Members receive three tickets to the GSA Spaceport Summit, major discounts for SpaceCom and the Space Mobility Conference, as well as exclusive promotional opportunities during the Summit. 

JOIN AS A MEMBER and receive up to 3 tickets*  PLUS discounts at Space Mobility and SpaceCom! 

*Depending on membership type. Three tickets are included for Spaceport and Associate memberships and one ticket is included for Academic, Government, and Non-Profit Memberships.

Also receive GSA Member EXCLUSIVE promotional opportunities!

Spaceports as an Economic Powerhouse 

The theme Spaceports as an Economic Powerhouse sets the course for the Global Spaceport Alliance’s (GSA) direction for the coming year, with its official launch at the upcoming conference. Spaceports hold immense potential to drive regional economic growth by generating revenue, creating jobs, and fostering incentive structures that attract both space-related and broader commercial enterprises. This conference serves as a platform for collaborative exchange, where participants will share initiatives, discuss lessons learned, and brainstorm innovative strategies to amplify the economic impact of spaceports worldwide.
Adam Oakes, Vice President of Launch for Firefly
Firefly Aerospace

KEYNOTE:

Adam Oakes
Vice President of Launch
Firefly Aerospace

Adam oversees Firefly’s launch vehicle programs for Alpha and MLV, including the vision and strategy, technology development, and key aspects of launch vehicle manufacturing, testing, and operations. Prior to joining Firefly, Adam served in multiple roles over his 10 years working at SpaceX.
 
He led several engine development and qualification campaigns for the Falcon/Merlin product line, supported construction of the rocket engine test stands as Director of Production and Test at SpaceX’s facility in McGregor, Texas, and served as the Director of Propulsion Production at SpaceX’s Hawthorne facility. Adam started his career at ATK (Alliant Tech System), working as a design engineer on human-rated rocket motors before supporting the development of ATK’s Booster Separation Motor program.
 
He has a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the University of Washington.
Kelvin Coleman Associate Administrator, Office of Commercial Space Transportation, FA

FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation Update

Kelvin Coleman
Associate Administrator
Office of Commercial Space Transportation, FAA
 
Kelvin B. Coleman is the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In this role, he leads the office responsible for enabling safe space transportation and protecting the health and safety of the public, the safety of property, and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States. For complete bio – CLICK HERE.
John Wensveen

International Space University Education Initiative Announcement

Dr. John Wensveen
President
International Space University

ISU is spearheading a spaceport development initiative. 

The Hague Institute’s Washington Compact Initiative

The Hague Institute

THIGJ and the GSA provide an update about their efforts on developing a roadmap that will address the pressing need for a comprehensive legal and policy framework. The roadmap will identify the actions required in order to allow society to benefit from the ability to transport cargo, and eventually people, on high-speed, intercontinental flights via outer space. 

Sohair Salam Saber
President
The Hague Institute for Global Justice

Ken Hodgkins Co-Chair Off-World Approach The Hague Institute for Global Justice

Ken Hodgkins
Co-Chair
The Hague Institute for Global Justice

International Panel Discussions:
Integrating Spaceflight Standards Globally

The vision of the Global Spaceport Alliance is to create a global network of spaceports that will support increased access to space, and that can serve as focal points and technology hubs to facilitate continued growth of the space economy.  For that global spaceport network to be fully successful, its operations will need to exhibit several key characteristics, including interoperability, resilience, and sustainability.  Because there is no single set of internationally recognized requirements for operating spaceports or conducting spaceflight operations, the development of standards by the global aerospace community could significantly advance safe and efficient operations worldwide.  What is the best way to initiate the development and implementation of such standards?

Dr. George Nield, GSA Chairman

Dr. George Nield
Chairman
Global Spaceport Alliance
(Moderator)

Ed Baron

Ed Baron
Senior Vice President
Space Product Strategy,
Parsons Company

Sean Mulligan

Sean Mulligan
Deputy Executive Director & COO
Virginia Space Authority

Paul Cremin MBE Head of Spaceflight Department for Transport

Paul Cremin, MBE
Head of Spaceflight
Department
for Transport – U.K.

U.S. Space Force:
Space Force Spaceport of the Future Update

Mark Bontrager
Technical Director
Space Systems Command
Launch and Range Operations
United States Space Force

Panel: Remote Versus Population-Dense Spaceports:
Challenges and Benefits

This session will explore the similarities and unique challenges confronting spaceports located near populated areas and those located remotely. Every choice for where to locate a spaceport provides a range of benefits and challenges. The spaceport operators on this panel will share their past experiences and their future hopes and concerns. 

SPEAKERS:

David Buck
President
BRPH Mission Solutions
(Moderator)

Arturo Machuca

Arturo Machuca
Director
Houston Spaceport

Shinichi Takata
Co-Founder and Director
Space Port Japan Association

Lloyd Damp

Lloyd Damp
CEO
Southern Launch

Coordenador Paulo Quental

Paulo Ricardo Braga Quental
Coordinator
Azores Mission Structure for Space

Spaceports as an Economic Powerhouse Forum:

Every spaceport has the potential to become an economic powerhouse in the regions they serve. James Causey will lead the audience in a workshop on how spaceports are, or could, generate revenue and build incentive structures that attract a wide array of businesses, including both space and non-space-related. In this open exchange, audience members will share their initiatives and lessons learned and brainstorm new ideas.

James Causey

James Causey
Executive Director
Global Spaceport Alliance
(Moderator)

Andrew Nelson

Andrew Nelson
Vice President
RS&H

Arturo Machuca

Arturo Machuca
Director
Houston Spaceport